Wal-Mart news briefs: Jet deal in New York City, more bee friendly, preferred carriers named

Retail giant Wal-Mart is in the news daily given its size and global reach. This week Wal-Mart’s subsidiary Jet opened a pop-up store in Manhattan, the retailer was lauded for eliminating pesticides that threaten the world’s bee population and Walmart Transportation named its top carrier partners for the year.

JET POPS INTO NYC Wal-Mart-owned Jet.com just opened a pop-up grocery store in Manhattan in partnership with Story, a concept-based retailer. The temporary Jet.com store will offer artisanal grocery and household items which will be combined with some e-commerce capabilities.

Jet.com President Liza Landsman said the retailer has no plans to explore brick and mortar, but the company saw this limited store-front deal as a way to showcase all the fresh products that Jet carries, adding this limited opportunity was “too good of a prospect to pass up.”

Landsman said Jet offers specially designed packaging for fresh items included tracking capabilities to allow for delivery efficiencies, something customers ordering online might not be aware of. She said items in the pop-up store are representative of how Jet thinks about categories. Jet sees this store as a way to educate consumers so that they can have an enjoyable online shopping experience with Jet in the future.

The Jet store in Manhattan will remain open for six weeks. The Story partnership also allows for workshops and cooking demonstrations during that period.

MORE BEE FRIENDLY Wal-Mart Stores confirmed it has almost eliminated from its supply chain the neonicotinoid pesticides that threaten the world bee population. The initiative was part of the Friends of the Earth that encourages retailers to remove products containing neonicotinoids from the shelves.

The retail giant said its suppliers have eliminated neonics from approximately 80% of garden plants sold at the retailers and Wal-Mart has eliminated neonicotinoids in almost all its off-the-shelf gardening products.

“This is a great day for bees and sends an important message that the market is listening to consumers and sound science in refusing to sell bee-killing pesticides,” said Tiffany Finck-Haynes, food futures campaigner at Friends of the Earth U.S. “Friends of the Earth and our allies will continue to challenge Ace Hardware to eliminate these pesticides as quickly as possible to protect pollinators, people.”

Wal-Mart joins more than 110 retailers across the country, including True Value, Home Depot, and Lowe’s that have made firm commitments to eliminate neonicotinoids

2016 TOP CARRIERS Walmart Transportation has named 12 trucking companies as its 2016 Carriers of the Year.The companies recognized work with Walmart stores, Sam’s Club facilities and distribution centers. They were chosen based on customer service and their commitment to creating innovative solutions.